For more than 65 years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (OV) Affairs (SCOVA) has played a pioneering role in implementing the Party and State’s policies on OVs, consistently standing by the community in all circumstances.
It has served as a bridge connecting and uniting the community with the homeland, becoming a trusted source of support for Vietnamese expats in times of hardship.
Tapping into vast resources
OV affairs have always held a significant place in the Party and State’s policies. The agency has gone through multiple phases of organsational reform since its inception as the central board for OV affairs in 1959, aiming to meet the growing requirements for supporting, caring for, and tapping into the valuable resources of the OV community.
The work has achieved remarkable milestones, making important contributions to strengthening the great national solidarity and mobilising the collective strength of the entire people for national construction and development.
SCOVA has advised and submitted proposals to the Politburo that resulted in the issuance of key policy documents that guide and shape the work related to OV affairs, notably Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW, Directive No. 45-CT/TW, and Conclusion No. 12-KL/TW, which continue to reaffirm the Party and State's consistent policy that the OV community is an inseparable part and an important resource of the nation.
The documents clearly reflect the Party and State's sentiment and sense of responsibility towards the Vietnamese living abroad, helping meet their aspirations while encouraging and inspiring them to thrive, unlock their potential, and contribute to the homeland.
OVs join naval soldiers and officers in a musical exchange on the DK1/8 Que Duong platform (Photo: VNA)
SCOVA has worked closely with relevant agencies in advising, drafting, and amending legal regulations and proposing new policies to effectively safeguard the rights and legitimate interests of OVs. Legal provisions related to nationality, immigration, and residency, as well as key laws such as the Investment Law, the Law on Land, and the Housing Law have been revised to become more inclusive, enabling OVs to enjoy rights and obligations more closely aligned with those of citizens in the homeland, and encouraging them to invest and do business in Vietnam.
In addition, efforts to strengthen the great national solidarity have seen breakthrough progress. Activities held by SCOVA such as the Vietnam Summer Camp, the Homeland Spring, trips to Truong Sa archipelago and DK1 platforms, and participation in the Hung Kings commemorations, along wioth the Party and State's policies on the great national solidarity, have fostered greater trust and enthusiasm among OVs and enhance their bonds with the homeland.
The mobilisation of resources from the OV community for national development has also yielded tangible results.
Impressive figures on remittances, the effectiveness of OV investment projects, and the significant contributions by OV experts and intellectuals in such fields as culture, education, healthcare, and science - technology, all underscore the community's vital role in the nation’s development. Notably, remittances sent by OVs to the country from 1993 through 2024 have exceeded 250 billion USD. For many consecutive years, Vietnam has ranked among the world’s top 10 recipients of overseas remittances.
SCOVA Chairman Nguyen Trung Kien affirmed the committee has always stood side by side the OV community in all circumstances, uniting those across the globe in their shared bond with the homeland, thus making meaningful contributions to the nation’s struggle for national liberation in the past and the present cause of national construction and defence.
An OV delegation attends the Hung King commemoration anniversary in 2025. (Photo: VNA)
He noted that together with a wide range of activities to be held from now to the end of 2025, many important events will also take place in 2026 – the year of the 14th National Party Congress – and beyond, requiring the support and dedication of the OV community to help realise the vision of building a strong, prosperous, and happy Vietnam in the new era.
Recognising long-standing contributions
SCOVA will be one of 13 outstanding collectives to be honoured at the Glory to Vietnam programme 2025, scheduled to take place under the theme "Pride and Aspiration" in Hanoi on June 22 evening.
Kien stated that this recognition marks a particularly meaningful milestone in OV affairs, not only acknowledging the tireless dedication and commitment by the personnel working on OV affairs but also highlighting the valuable contributions by over 6 million OVs living, studying, and working in 130 countries and territories around the world toward the construction and sustainable development of the homeland.
Scheduled to attend the ceremony, Nguyen Ngoc Cuong, Vice Chairman of the Association of Hai Phong Fellow Countrymen in Russia, remarked that for the past more than 65 years, the SCOVA has become a trusted bridge linking the Party and State with the Vietnamese communities worldwide.
Sharing her heartfelt impression after attending the Homeland Spring programme 2025, Tran Thi Kim Hoa, a Russia-based Vietnamese expat, expressed deep appreciation for the committee’s efforts in strengthening bonds between the OV community and the homeland.
With their intellect, dedication, and rich resources, the OV community stands ready to accompany and contribute to building a Vietnam of fast and sustainable development in the time to come, she stressed./.
